The Riddler
by starfire123
Summary: Set in season 5. The team is called to Texas to hunt down a serial killer known as The Riddler. They soon learn that they are the reason for the murders. What does the unsub want with the team and how will the team react? Horrible summary, I'm sorry! Rated T just to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello again! Here is my second Criminal Minds fanfic! Let me know what you think!**

"Is everyone ready?" Hotch asked.

The team nodded, although Reid didn't look tos sure.

"Is everything all right, Reid?" Hotch asked, "Are you having second thoughts on the location?"

"No, I am positive that we're at the right location. It's just, something doesn't feel right," he responded.

Reid just shook the feeling off. They began to make their way toward the entrance of Perenelia Mansion, which was easily over triple the size of Rossi's mansion. The team had been hunting down a serial killer who called himself The Riddler. He left a riddle at each murder scene that would give a hint to the next one. Luckily, Reid had been able to figure out the riddles very quickly. The answer to the last riddle led the team to Perenelia Mansion, an abandoned mansion on the outskirts of Plano, Texas. The team was distracted by the giant clock at the top of the mansion. It seemed to be counting down the time they had left to save the next victim, Vanessa Pearson.

The team stopped a few feet from the door to wait for Hotch's signal. He nodded to Morgan, who proceeded to kick the door down. Everyone entered the mansion. It was eerily silent except for the occasional shouts of "Clear!" They had scanned all the rooms on the first floor except for one. The team regrouped and barged into the room together. What they saw stopped them dead in their tracks.

Vanessa Pearson was strapped to a chair with electrical wires attached to it. The chair was set on a stage with the spotlight on Vanessa. The team was easily able to see that she was terrified. She had tear stains down her cheeks and was breathing heavily. Morgan and Reid began to run to her to free her.

"No! Don't!" she screeched.

Everyone was confused, and they all jumped when a voice came over an intercom.

"You will do as I say, or Miss Vanessa will die," a demonic sounding voice instructed.

The door leading to the room slammed shut. The team could hear a lock clicking into place.

"Place your guns and cell phones on the stage and remove your Kevlar vests,"

The team did as they were told. The lights flickered, then all of their things were gone.

"It's a pleasure to be hosting the famous BAU team,"

"What do you want?" Morgan demanded.

"I want to test you," the speaker began, "I want to see if the BAU is as intelligent as everyone thinks. I plan to do this through my little game. If you can get out of the mansion, you will get to live. If not, you will never see another day."

"How can we get out?" Rossi asked.

"Simple, I will give you a riddle, if you can solve it correctly and give me the answer, I will let you move on to the next room. If you can make it through all of the rooms in the mansion, you will get to live. Just to warn you, the riddles will get harder the further you get. I guess that shouldn't be a problem, considering you have the young genius, Dr. Spencer Reid among you. "

The team seemed a bit unnerved after hearing the rules from the unsub. The way he disguised his voice demonically made him seem inhuman. What really haunted them is the fact that he only called out Reid by name.

"Are you ready to start the game?"

At first there was a lack of a response. Then Vanessa started screaming in agony as electrical shocks coursed through her body.

"Stop!" Hotch ordered. "We are ready to play your game."

A door at the side of the stage opened up. The team started toward the door.

"One last thing," the demonic voice hissed over the intercom.

The team stopped to hear what the unsub would have to say.

"Good luck."

**There's the first chapter! Please Read and Review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's the second chapter! Thank you for the reviews! I hope you like this chapter! I do not own Criminal Minds.**

The team filed in through the door into the first room. The voice, once again, came over the intercom.

"In every room, there will be a note taped to the wall with one of your names on it. That person will then read the note which contains the riddle. The answers to all of the riddles will have to do with a previous BAU case. Once you all have solved the riddle, you will shout out your answer. If you are correct, the door to the next room will open. Have fun, agents."

The team looked to the wall. The note had Hotch's name on it. This was expected as he was the team leader. He approached the letter carefully, as if there might be a trap somewhere. With this unsub, the team couldn't be sure. Hotch grabbed the note off the wall. He turned to his team and read the note aloud.

_At this moment the game will begin_

_Let's just hope that you can win_

_I was the guy who was in a bind_

_Because I was afraid of my own mind_

_I was fearful of what I could do_

_That was why I turned to you_

_I was worried I would lose control_

_Then the murders would take their toll_

_I acted fine, but that was a lie_

_I wished to bid my life goodbye_

_My life was mine, mine to take_

_But then you saved me, big mistake_

The team looked confused, all except for Reid. This had been one of his most memorable cases.

"It's Nathan Harris," Reid said confidently, "Nathan was afraid that he couldn't control his homicidal impulses. He thought the world would be safer without him. He slit his wrists, but Garcia and I saved him. He thought that he should've died."

"It makes the most sense," JJ agreed. She remembered that case very well because of the effect it had on Reid.

"The answer is Nathan Harris!" Hotch yelled.

After a moment of silence, the door to the next room swung open.

"Nice job, Reid!" Rossi praised.

The team walked in to the next room. On the wall, there was a note with Morgan's name on it. He grabbed the note and read it aloud.

_Congrats, you made it through level one_

_But the fun has just begun_

_It's a very common fact to know_

_That you remember what you sow_

_I am the unsub that could disappear_

_You never saw me, but I was near_

_I am a monster, I frighten man_

_I murder just because I can_

_Keep in mind, the number three_

_And pay attention to what you see_

Rossi looked around the team, seeing if they had any ideas. He stopped when he saw Reid. He could practically see the wheels turning in Reid's head.

"Got an idea, Reid?" he asked.

"I was considering the significance of the number three," he began, "There are three sides to a triangle. The fact that the riddle says "pay attention to what you see" right after that made me think of the eye in the center of the triangle. "That you remember what you sow" is significant because we _reap _what we sow. I'm pretty sure the answer is the Boston Reaper."

Hotch grimaced. The Reaper had just killed Haley, so he really didn't want to think about Foyet right now. He knew Reid was right.

"It has to be. The eye in the center of the triangle was the Reaper's signature," he remarked.

"The answer is the Boston Reaper!" Morgan shouted.

The next door swung open, revealing a winding staircase. The team began to ascend to the next room.

The Riddler was not very happy. He sat in a room full of screens, watching the team's every move. He had bugged the rooms, so he could hear everything that they were saying. They weren't supposed to make it through with such ease. This was supposed to be a test of their intelligence, but Dr. Reid was solving the riddles very quickly.

He was just going to have to change that. He had some plans for the young genius. He was just going to have to adjust the rules.

**Sorry the chapters are short! I'm trying to get better at writing longer chapters. How did you all like the riddles? Please Read and Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Merry Christmas! I hope you all have had an amazing Christmas season. I also hope you will enjoy this next chapter! I don't own Criminal Minds.**

The team made their way to the next room. This time the letter was addressed to Prentiss. She took the letter and read it to the team.

_I am the unsub that took a great fall_

_My life fell apart, everything, all_

_What I really wanted, anything I'd give_

_To go back to the dumpsite, go and relive_

_The murders I used to unleash my rage_

_I'd kill any woman, no matter what age_

_After I killed them, I laid them face-down_

_And go back to see them when there's no one around_

_In parts of my life, I'm left in the dark_

_But the scars on their necks reveal my mark_

The others automatically turned to Reid. They knew that his brain worked extremely fast, so he had probably already figured out the riddle.

"It has to be the Blue Ridge Strangler," Reid began, "He was angry at his birth mother for giving him up for adoption, so he strangled women whenever he got angry. He laid his victims face-down because he believed the spirits of his victims would haunt him if he didn't. He would often go back and revisit his victims. He fell off a building and slipped into a coma. That's what the riddle means when it says "in parts of my life, I'm left in the dark." He missed years of his life when he was in that coma."

"The answer is the Blue Ridge Strangler!" Prentiss yelled.

The team waited for the door to the next room open, but it never did. They all were startled when the voice came over the intercom.

"Your answer is correct. This next room is going to be a little different. When you enter the room, you will see spaces with your names in the center. You will walk your space and stand on top of your name. I will then read you the next riddle."

The door to the next room swung open. The team obeyed the unsub's instructions, walking to the spaces with their names on it. They stood there, nervously awaiting the next riddle.

"_I can honestly say, I'm very impressed_

_But now your knowledge will be put to the test_

_I am an unsub and victim in one_

_I was shot and killed with my own gun_

_I have not one personality, not two, but three_

_Three in one, same as the Trinity_

_Religion, religion, that's my father's excuse_

_But I could escape with the drugs that I use_

_I know this riddle's simple, easy to solve_

_You will soon see that my methods evolve_

_After this room, you'll beg and you'll plead_

_Let's see how you do without Dr. Reid."_

With that, Reid fell through the floor.

"Reid!" Morgan yelled, running to Reid's space.

The team realized too late that the space Reid had been standing on was a trap door. They tried to break through the door to rescue their youngest teammate, but the door wouldn't budge. It dawned on them that this room was a setup. The unsub must have been unhappy that the team had been solving the riddles so quickly. To really test them, he took the smartest team member away from them.

"Where is my agent?" Hotch demanded.

"Not to worry, your teammate is fine, for now. I am making a slight adjustment to the rules. You will still be receiving letters with your name on them. Now, however, if you can't solve the riddle, you can move on to the next room. However, Dr. Reid will be tortured if that is your decision. Jennifer Jareau, would you please solve the riddle?"

JJ had tears threatening to fall down her cheeks. She didn't want Reid to have to go through torture again. It was bad enough with Tobias Hankel. However, that experience had made him a stronger person. She had to have faith that he could handle whatever may come. She found the strength to answer the riddle.

"The answer is Tobias Hankel!" she yelled.

The door to the next room opened up. The team trudged into the room. They could only hope that they could solve the riddles that await them.

Reid felt himself falling. He landed on the hard floor in a dimly lit room. He didn't even have time to register if anything was broken before someone was on top of him, straddling his hips and pinning him to the floor. He heard his team calling for him. He wanted to respond, but the unsub quickly clamped his hand over Reid's mouth. He fought against the unsub, until he felt the cold blade of a knife against his throat.

"Don't fight me, Spencer. I don't want to hurt you, but I will if I have to," the unsub whispered to him.

Reid's eyes widened as he realized who the unsub was. His eyes adjusted to the light in the room, confirming the identity of the unsub. He took the knife from Reid's throat and pulled out a syringe. Reid squirmed as the syringe crept closer and closer to his neck. He felt a prick and his vision immediately began to fade. The hand was removed from his mouth, and he felt the hands grabbing him under his arms, beginning to drag him away. The last coherent thought Reid had was, "_why would Gideon do this to us?"_

**Reviews are always appreciated!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry I haven't updated in a while! I got writers block on this story. Here's the next chapter, I hope you like it! I do not own Criminal Minds.**

The team slowly made their way into the next room. They were wondering how they were going to solve these riddles without Reid's help. The note had Rossi's name on it. He grabbed the note and read it to the team.

_We were the group that was put to the test_

_When the law came and then disturbed our rest_

_Everything was done in religion's name_

_Once you all were involved, we were never the same_

_Our church split up, we then were broke_

_Our leader remained, he still spoke_

_We soon realized our leader was corrupt_

_And the church would soon, in flames, erupt_

_We were similar to a group in this very state_

_Who unfortunately suffered our same fate_

"It has to be the Separatarian Sect, the religious cult in Colorado," Prentiss said.

"I think Prentiss is right," Morgan added, "That case was similar to the one in Waco, Texas. Benjamin Cyrus was molesting little girls. That's when some of the members realized he wasn't so holy and left."

"Then the fifteen-year-old girl blew up the church," Rossi finished. "The answer is the Separatarian Sect!"

To the team's relief, the door to the next room swung open. They at least knew Reid would be safe, for now.

Reid was beginning to wake up. He noticed that he was in a dark room with many computer screens in front of him. He also noticed that he sat in a wooden chair, his wrists bound behind it and his ankles tied to the legs of the chair. He watched the screens and realized that each screen was a different room in the mansion. He just found the one that showed his team when he felt two hands on his shoulders.

"Enjoying the show?" Gideon whispered in his ear.

"Don't touch me!" Reid growled, trying to jerk his shoulders out of Gideon's grasp.

He remembered that after the team found him, when he had been kidnapped by Tobias Hankel, he felt comforted in Gideon's embrace. Now, Gideon's touch just sent chills down his spine.

"Calm down, Spencer," Gideon chuckled.

"Don't call me that. It's Dr. Reid to you,"

"Since when have you wanted me to call you by your official name?"

"Since you abandoned me, abandoned all of us."

Gideon walked around so he was in front of Reid. Reid refused to meet the gaze of his previous mentor. Gideon pulled out a knife and used it to tilt Reid's head up to look him in the eye. He noticed Reid's jump and the blade touched his skin.

"You told me that you didn't want me to touch you," Gideon explained. He used another knife to move some of Reid's long hair that had fallen in front of his face.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Well, Dr. Reid, I'm sure you remember Frank. After he jumped in front of the train, I realized that I couldn't handle the BAU anymore. One thing that the team never knew, though, was that Frank did not die that day. He called me about a month after I left and told me that he was going to take somebody else important to me, my son Stephen.

"I called the BAU headquarters and they didn't believe me. I rushed to Stephen's house to try and save him, but I was too late. Frank was actually still in the room with Stephen's corpse. I shot him, naturally. I realized then that the BAU is not as smart as everyone thinks it is. So, I decided to put you all to a test. This has taken years of careful planning.

"It was you that got in my way, though. You were solving the riddles far too quickly. I had to take you away from the team. They've done decent without you so far. they got the right answer to the next room, but…" he trailed off to look at the screens, "It seems that they are having trouble with this riddle."

"How did you do this? You couldn't have possibly have done this by yourself. You weren't the greatest with technology."

"You're right. I'm not the best with technology. I've had a little help. He also helped me get information on the team's latest cases," Gideon said with a smirk.

Reid heard a door open, then slam shut. He turned as much as he could to see who had walked in. He couldn't believe who he saw.

"You are already familiar with Kevin Lynch, am I correct?" Gideon asked.

"Good to see you again, Dr. Reid," Kevin said with a cruel smile.

"How…why…" For once, Reid was at a loss for words.

"Stephen was my best friend," Kevin explained, "I would love to get revenge on the people who could've prevented his death."

The two turned to the screens. The team was in the same room, trying to solve the riddle.

"I don't think they can figure this one out," Kevin observed.

"You're right. I'll talk to the team. Keep him quiet, we can't have him shouting our identities to the team," Gideon ordered, motioning to Reid with his head.

Kevin walked out of Reid's view. He returned with a roll of duct tape. He ripped off a piece and walked toward Reid.

"No!" Reid protested as he tried to get away from Kevin. Within seconds, Kevin had the tape over Reid's mouth. Kevin nodded to Gideon, who then proceeded to turn on an intercom in front of the computers.

"Can you solve the riddle?" he asked the team.

"No," Hotch sighed in response.

"You can either choose to remain in this room, or have Dr. Reid tortured and move on. Which will it be Agent Hotchner?"

"We choose to have Reid tortured," the regret was obvious in Hotch's voice. "Reid, if you can hear me, I am so sorry!"

"Very well then," Gideon stated.

He pressed a button and the door to the next room swung open. He turned off the intercom and turned to Reid.

"The team made this decision, Dr. Reid. I just hope you can handle what's to come."

**Read and review please!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello again fanfic world! I'm sorry I haven't updated lately. I got really sick and had to make up all the work I missed at school.**

**Here's the next chapter! I hope you like it! I do not own Criminal Minds.**

"Get me the knife, Kevin," Gideon ordered.

Kevin obeyed. Gideon held the knife, eyeing Reid to see what torture he could come up with. Reid watched the wicked object warily, the light from the screens reflecting off the blade. Gideon's eyes widened as he got an idea.

"Tilt his head back," he ordered.

Kevin walked over to Reid. He used one hand on the top of Reid's head and the other below his chin to tilt his head back, completely exposing his neck. Gideon placed the knife just below Reid's chin, then made a cut all the way down to his chest. Reid winced. The cut wasn't deep at all, but it stung a lot.

Gideon made two more cuts in this manner. Reid could feel small streams of blood dripping down his neck.

"That was just pathetic," Gideon chuckled, "This is only just the beginning, and they're already starting to have trouble with my riddles. Be prepared, Dr. Reid. You are going to find yourself in a lot of pain."

Hotch didn't have to be a profiler to know that the team felt guilty about the decision that they had to make. None of them wanted Reid hurt, but they thought of everything and couldn't solve the stupid riddle. Hotch knew he had to stay strong; he was the leader of this team, but his heart ached for his youngest team member. He had always thought of Reid as a son to him, and he hated not knowing what this sick unsub was doing to him.

He snapped out of thought when they entered the next room. There was a letter taped to the wall with JJ's name on it. She took the envelope and opened it.

_I am the unsub who barely would talk_

_I would watch people, watching them as they would walk_

_Deep in the shadows, I kept myself hidden_

_A young girl, to rest, it was forbidden_

_If you looked real close, then you could see_

_That there was something very wrong with me_

_Come on BAU, please don't be blind_

_Dr. Reid's pain will forever be etched in his mind_

"He talked about blindness at the end," Prentiss noted, "This could have something to do with the eye."

"There was the case in Oklahoma where an unsub took the eyes of his victims," Rossi added.

"Yes!" Morgan exclaimed, "His name was Earl Buford. He was a taxidermist who killed his own father. The riddle says "a young girl, to rest, it was forbidden." I recall talking to one of the victim's family. They said they had dreams of their deceased daughter. They told me that she couldn't rest in peace until she had found her eyes."

The rest of the team nodded in agreement.

"The answer is Earl Buford!" JJ yelled.

To the team's relief, the door to the next room swung open. Reid wouldn't be in any more pain, at least for now.

"Penelope Garcia?" a young police officer asked.

"Yes?" Garcia answered. She turned away from the computer she was using at the Plano Police Department.

"I was told to inform you that we have lost contact with your team," the officer continued.

Garcia was puzzled. She turned back to the computer to try and trace her teammates' cell phones, but she had no luck.

"Something is seriously wrong," Garcia whispered.

She looked up the owner of the mansion. It belonged to a Dean Josing. She immediately began looking for any background information on Dean. After she typed his name into the search, her heart stopped when she read the message that popped up on her screen.

**How does it feel, Penelope? Not being able to see your precious family. Not knowing what they could possibly be enduring. My rules are simple. If they win, they get to live. If not, you will be the only living member of Aaron Hotchner's team. Keep your fingers crossed, Penelope.**

After reading the message, her computer crashed. Tears were streaming down her face. Her family was in danger and there was nothing she could do about it.

Reid struggled against his bonds. Gideon and Kevin had left the room. He wanted to get free so he could go find the team. Kevin had the intercom system on a password, so Reid knew he couldn't use it. After several minutes of desperate fighting, Reid managed to wriggle his wrists free from the ropes that bound him. He quickly removed the tape from his mouth and freed his ankles.

He ran to the door and pounded against it in frustration when he found it to be locked. He looked around the room to find anything he could possibly use as a weapon of Gideon or Kevin came back. They had taken the knives with them. He went back to his chair and broke off one of the legs. He pressed his ear against the door and listened. Within a couple minutes, he heard footsteps. The door opened, and Kevin walked in. Reid crashed the piece of wood as hard as he could on Kevin's head. His plan worked. Kevin was lying on the ground unconscious.

"Kevin, are you okay?" Reid heard Gideon call.

Knowing he didn't have much time, Reid took off in the opposite direction of the voice. After a few moments of running, he heard a loud yell of rage. He knew that Gideon had discovered him missing. All he had to do was find his way around the mansion. He opened a door and ran through it. He stopped when he realized that he was in a long corridor with over twenty doors. It was going to be nearly impossible to find his team.

**Please read and review!**

**P. S. I am open to suggestions! What would you like to see happen?**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you all so much for the reviews! I'm glad you guys like this story! I do not own Criminal Minds.**

Reid sprinted down the hallway to the last door. He opened it and snuck inside. He noticed another door in the room. As he heard Gideon's footsteps getting closer to his end of the hall, he tiptoed across the room and through the next door.

He yelped as he felt himself collide with someone.

"Don't hurt me!" Vanessa Pearson screeched.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Reid said to calm her down, "My name is Dr. Spencer Reid and I'm with the FBI. I'm going to find my team and help you get out of here."

Vanessa got a hold of herself and nodded. She followed Reid through the many rooms of the mansion. They had no luck in finding a way out. Neither of them were sure if they were close to finding an exit or just getting deeper into the dark mansion. Reid could tell that Vanessa must have had a traumatic experience at the hands of Gideon and Kevin because she would jump at everything, including her own shadow. They were just about to turn down another hallway when they heard footsteps approaching. They both ran into the nearest room.

"They're around here somewhere," Kevin told Gideon, "This was the last place I saw them on the cameras."

Reid mentally cursed himself for forgetting about there being cameras hidden all over the mansion. Vanessa started to back away from the door. Unfortunately, the floor creaked as she moved.

"There they are!" they heard Kevin shout. The two turned and ran as fast as their legs would carry them. Gideon and Kevin were quickly closing the distance between them.

"Keep running," Reid told Vanessa, "I'll distract them."

All of a sudden, Reid stopped right where he was. He felt Gideon crash into him, knocking them both to the floor.

"Go after the girl. I've got him," Gideon said.

"No! Let her go!" Reid yelled.

He jumped to his feet and tried to run after Kevin, but Gideon slammed him into the wall, crushing Reid's throat with his forearm.

"You really shouldn't have tried to escape me, Reid," Gideon growled, "You will pay for this."

Kevin soon came back with a struggling Vanessa. Gideon yanked Reid away from the wall. Reid gulped as much air as he could as soon as Gideon removed his arm from his throat. Gideon forced Reid to his knees and used one hand to pin both wrists behind his back.

"Not only are you going to pay, but poor Vanessa will as well," Gideon hissed in Reid's ear.

"Please don't hurt me!" Vanessa begged, tears falling down her cheeks.

"Remember that this is your fault," Gideon told him. Reid lowered his gaze to the floor in shame. "We can't have you missing the show, can we?"

Gideon grabbed Reid's long hair and yanked his head up. Kevin took out a knife and slit Vanessa's throat. Tears filled Reid's eyes as he watched Vanessa's blood flowing from her throat. Within a couple minutes, she was just a corpse.

"How could you murder her? She was innocent!" Reid yelled at his captors.

"You're the one who escaped. You're the reason she's dead," Kevin mocked.

On the inside, Reid knew that he wasn't responsible, but that didn't stop the guilt. The sight of the light leaving the young girl's eyes would haunt him forever. He was in the FBI; he was supposed to protect innocent people, and he failed Vanessa. He couldn't save them as he told her he would.

Kevin and Gideon hauled him to his feet and began to lead him back to his prison.

"You're one lucky man, Doctor," Gideon sneered, "Your team failed to solve another riddle. You can already guess what that means!"

Reid was not looking forward to the pain that was waiting for him.

Garcia groaned in frustration. She had looked in every database known to man and could not find anything on a Dean Josing. Then something caught her eye. The letters in Dean Josing's name looked familiar. After a while of rearranging the letters, she gasped as she realized that Dean Josing was just an anagram. She could not believe who Dean Josing really was.

Jason Gideon.

She quickly typed Gideon's name into all of her databases. She noticed that he stayed off the grid except for one article. It was an article about the murder of his son. This couldn't be possible. Could Gideon possibly blame the BAU for the murder of his son? All Garcia knew was that she had to find the team, quick. She needed to call Kevin.

Instead of taking Reid to the room with the computers, Gideon and Kevin took Reid to a small closet and shoved him in, locking the door. A few minutes passed. Reid wondered what they were doing, until he realized that he was having difficulty breathing. They were suffocating him.

"Let me out!" he begged as he struggled to breathe.

After a couple more minutes, Reid passed out.

Gideon had his ear to the door. He grinned as Reid begged to be let out. He waited a little longer until he heard a thud. That's when he knew that Reid had fallen unconscious. He opened the door and dragged the young genius out of the closet. He and Kevin managed to get him back to the room with the computer screens before he woke up. His eyes flew open and he gasped for air. He groaned when he realized he was back in his prison. He hoped that the team would find him soon.

**Please read and review.**

**In case you were wondering, Garcia does not know that Kevin is evil.**

**I was also considering writing a sequel to this story, I haven't decided though. Would you all be interested in a sequel? If so, please let me know because that will determine how I end this story. Don't worry, this story is not close to being over. I just want to know how to plan the rest of the story. Thanks!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry for the delay. Here's the next chapter. Oh, if I didn't make myself clear, this story is not ending anytime soon. I was just curious if you wanted a sequel because that is how I will determine how I write later chapters. Sorry if there was any confusion. I do not own Criminal Minds.**

Every single one of the team members felt guilty. Again, they couldn't solve the riddle, and Reid had to be tortured so they could move on. They each were wondering how many riddles there were left, and how many they could actually solve. They had no idea how much pain Reid was in or how much more torture he could take. They climbed another staircase up to the next room. There was a note taped to the wall with Prentiss's name on it.

_I was the unsub who, because of love, was blind_

_People had thought I was ever so kind_

_I was one who always looked to the sky_

_Seeing the universe with a whole new eye_

_I know that he could have only loved me_

_Despite what others say, they could not see_

_I could only reunite with him through death_

_I did what he wanted before my last breath_

_My love was an artist, we all can agree_

_I made his final masterpiece complete_

"When the riddle says the universe," Hotch began, "He could very well mean the stars."

"The Angel Maker was known to stab the constellations into his victim's stomachs," Rossi noted.

"He did have a copycat," JJ reminded, "Chloe Kelcher was madly in love with him and wanted to complete his work."

"I tried to talk her out of killing the last victim by telling her that the Angel Maker didn't love her. He had written the same letters to many women. Morgan saved her latest victim, so she had to complete his work by stabbing the final constellation into her own body," Prentiss confirmed. "The answer is Chloe Kelcher!"

The door to the next room swung open, but the team could not possibly expect what awaited them in this next room.

Gideon was tying Reid's hands together in front of him while Kevin was watching the monitors.

"We need to get him ready," Gideon told Kevin who nodded.

All of a sudden, Kevin's cell phone started ringing. His eyes widened in shock when he read the caller I.D.

"It's Garcia," he notified Gideon.

"You'd better answer it, or she might get suspicious," Gideon said while he clamped his hand over Reid's mouth so he couldn't alert Garcia of anything.

"Hey, Penelope!" Kevin answered cheerily into the phone.

Reid could hear Garcia talking, but had no idea what she was saying. He tried to twist his head so he could free his mouth from Gideon's grasp, but he failed.

"What? The team's missing?" Kevin asked, pretending to be shocked, "I'll do what I can to help you find them, Penelope. I know the team is like family to you, and I will do anything to make you happy. I love you."

With that, Kevin hung up the phone.

"I'm going to check and make sure everything is prepared. Watch him," he ordered, motioning to Reid.

Gideon walked out of the room, and Kevin knelt in front of Reid.

"You know, your technical analyst is so gullible," he chuckled.

"She's not just a technical analyst. She's my sister," Reid growled.

Kevin ignored him and continued, "She actually believes that I love her. She can be so stupid sometimes."

"You don't love her?" Reid asked confused.

"Of course not!" Kevin began, "After Stephen died, I wanted revenge on the team that could have prevented his death. Gideon told me about his plan. I pretended to fall in love with Garcia so I could easily have access to all the information about your cases. I probably could have hacked into the files and found the information on my own, but I would be lying if I said Garcia wasn't a good hacker and tracer. She could have found me with no difficulty whatsoever."

"You just used Garcia?"

Kevin nodded with a smirk on his face. Anger flared through Reid. He couldn't believe someone would do such a thing to sweet, innocent Garcia. He gathered up all the energy he had and lunged at Kevin. He wrapped his bound hands around Kevin's throat, strangling him. Thankfully, for Kevin's sake, Gideon returned to the room.

"Kevin!" Gideon yelled.

He ran over and pulled Reid off of Kevin. While he was gasping for air, Gideon threw a punch at Reid's face, effectively dazing him.

"Are you all right?" Gideon asked Kevin.

After he caught his breath, he nodded. Gideon picked Reid up from under his bound arms, Kevin grabbed his ankles. Together, they lifted him and carried him up a flight of stairs to a dark room. They sat him down in a chair, untying his wrists only to retie them to the arms of the chair. After tying each ankle to a leg of the chair, they wrapped several wires around his wrists, ankles, and chest. Once they were done, Kevin left the room, but Gideon remained.

"I think the team is going to enjoy their little surprise," Gideon said, an evil smile spreading across his face, "Oh, and if you try and reveal Kevin's identity to the team, or my own, one of your teammates will be killed in the next room. Here's the next riddle."

He showed Reid a piece of paper with the next riddle on it. With his eidetic memory, he would have no problem memorizing it. After showing him the riddle, Gideon walked away, leaving Reid alone.

The team walked into the next room. They noticed that there was a big pane of glass on one side of the room, but it was too dark to see anything behind the glass. They were surprised when they saw a note with no one's name on it. Hotch read the note out loud.

_Dear BAU,_

_I have decided to make this game a little more interesting. I know you all have been wondering about Dr. Reid's condition. I will give you a chance to see him, but there is a catch. If Agent Morgan would be so kind as to flip on the light switch on the far wall of the room._

Hesitantly, Morgan made his way to the far side of the room and flipped the light switch. A light flickered on behind the glass, revealing Reid tied to a chair with several wires hooked up to him.

**Reviews are always appreciated!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you all so much for the reviews! It makes me happy to know that you all like this story! Here's the next chapter. I do not own Criminal Minds.**

"Reid!" everyone on the team yelled at once.

They ran to the glass and began pounding on it, desperately trying to reach their youngest teammate. They took in his appearance. They noticed that he was breathing heavy, and he had dry blood on his neck.

"Reid, are you all right?" JJ asked. She realized too late that it was a stupid question, but she wanted to hear his voice.

"I'm fine," Reid breathed, nodding his head.

"Who did this to you?" Hotch demanded. "Is it someone we know?"

"I can't tell you. He said he would kill one of you in the next room if I revealed his identity."

The team jumped as the familiar, demonic voice floated over the intercom.

"You all have done a decent job of solving my riddles, but it takes you much too long to do so. This room will give you a little motivation to solve them faster. Dr. Reid will recite my riddle for you. After every minute that you don't give me your final answer, your precious teammate will be shocked. If you fail to solve the riddle, I will shock him for whatever duration of time I decide on. Rossi will be the one to give me the final answer. Good luck, BAU."

Reid took a deep breath and told the team the riddle.

"_I was an unsub who would always appear_

_I had a motive, I needed to get near_

_To seek revenge on those that did me wrong_

_I was raped, time seeming ever so long_

_After meeting two men, my clothes were ripped_

_But now, I watch as much blood has slipped_

_Of one man, I was completely obsessed_

_I loved putting his old methods to the test_

_In some ways, we are completely the same_

_But he is known by a much more famous name_

_I looked up to him, my sweet inspiration_

_He motivated me to start my own creation."_

Reid nodded to the team to indicate that he was finished reciting the riddle. The team quickly turned to each other and began discussing their theories.

"From the sounds of it, this unsub was a woman who was raped," Hotch began.

"Unfortunately, so many women have been traumatized by rape. That doesn't narrow it down much," Morgan stated grimly.

"It's Sa…AHHHHHH!"

Reid tried to give the team the answer, but was cut off by a very painful electrical shock.

"Dr. Reid, you should know better than to give the team the answer. The same rules I explained earlier apply if you tell the team the answer," the demonic voice scolded over the intercom.

By this time, a minute had already passed, so Reid let out another cry of pain as he was shocked again. JJ had tears in her eyes. She hated seeing Reid in pain. Morgan looked as if he was about to punch something, which he probably was. Hotch, Prentiss, and Rossi maintained their usual composure, but, behind their stoic expressions, their hearts were aching for their youngest teammate. The team took turns expressing their thoughts on the answer, but failed to reach an agreement. Another minute had passed, so Reid was shocked again.

"Think of Jack the Ripper!" Reid gasped after he caught his breath from screaming.

He knew that the team could figure it out from here. He also knew that the rules Gideon had explained would not apply because he just gave them a hint, not the actual answer. That didn't mean, though, that he wouldn't get punished for helping the team.

JJ perked up.

"In New Orleans, there was a woman, Sarah Danlin, who was raped by two men. She had an obsession with Jack the Ripper."

The rest of the team caught on.

"Her modus operandi was the same as Jack the Ripper's," Morgan agreed, "She lured her male victims the same way he would lure his female victims."

Reid let out another cry of pain as he was shocked, yet again.

"The answer is Sarah Danlin!" Rossi shouted quickly, before any more harm could come to Reid.

To the team's relief, the door to the next room swung open. They looked at Reid with sad eyes. Although he was being tortured, they were glad to see him. They hated not knowing what was happening to him. Reid gave them a sad smile and nodded at them to move on. After taking one last glance at their friend, everyone slowly made their way to the next room.

Reid was ambivalent when he saw his team leaving. He was happy that they were able to move on, reaching the next step to get them all out of the mansion. However, he was comforted by the sight of his team, his family. The door to his room banged as Gideon angrily opened it. He stalked over to Reid and picked him up by the front of his shirt, at least as far as Reid's bonds would allow him to go.

"Because of you, one of your teammates will die!" Gideon yelled at Reid, trying to make him feel guilty.

"None of them are going to die," he responded with a smirk, "You said if I told my team the answer or if I revealed either you or Kevin's identity, you would kill one of them in the next room. I did not tell them the answer. I merely gave them a hint. The team came up with the final answer."

Gideon set Reid back down in his chair and huffed in anger.

"Fine, no one will die. However, you will be punished for ruining my game."

He grasped Reid's wrists, exactly where his electrical burns were the worst. Reid yelped as he processed the pain. Gideon then knocked Reid's chair over, so Reid was on his back. He was dazed from the sudden impact with the floor. He snapped back into reality just in time to see Gideon's foot come crashing down on his chest. Gideon added more pressure to the burns on Reid's chest. The pain was unbearable, so Reid welcomed the oncoming unconsciousness with open arms.

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	9. Chapter 9

**I'm so sorry for the long wait on the update! Here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it! I do not own Criminal Minds.**

"Yes, of course I still have him," Gideon said.

Reid was returning to the world of consciousness, but he didn't want Gideon or Kevin to know that he was awake.

"No, I haven't killed the others."

Reid guessed that Gideon was talking on the phone because of the fact that he didn't hear a response. He wondered who Gideon was talking to since it didn't sound like he was speaking to Kevin.

"I hate them just as much as you do, but that doesn't mean we should kill them! Won't it hurt them more to live with the fact that the young genius is still missing?"

About a few minutes of silence passed before Gideon responded again.

"Just get here as quickly as you can. Then we can take Dr. Reid and leave."

Reid processed this information. He discovered that someone else was in on Gideon's plan, but it sounded like he was the more dominant partner. He could only wonder what they would want with him.

"I know you're awake Dr. Reid," Gideon said.

Reid opened his eyes. There was no use in pretending to still be unconscious.

"Who were you talking to?" he demanded.

Gideon smiled and chuckled.

"Don't worry about it. Soon, you will have the opportunity to be part of something much bigger than you could have ever imagined."

Reid could only wonder about what was going to happen to him as Gideon grabbed him from under his bound arms and dragged him away to some other room in the mansion.

Garcia sighed in frustration as she tried to trace the team's cell phones yet again. Finally, she had some luck. Someone must have turned on their cell phones. She was really confused, though. All of the signals traced to the entrance of the mansion. However, her team mates' cell signals were not the only ones she came across. After double checking her computer, she confirmed that the other cell phone in the mansion belonged to Kevin.

"This can't be happening," she whispered to herself.

She whipped out her phone and dialed Kevin's number.

"Hey Penelope!" he answered cheerily.

"Kevin, what are you doing in Perenelia mansion with Gideon?"

Unfortunately, her suspicions were confirmed when Kevin immediately hung up the phone. She couldn't believe her boyfriend would do this to her team. She walked out of her room and over to the other police officers.

"I know who the suspects are. Their names are Jason Gideon and Kevin Lynch," she told them, her voice breaking at the end.

"I'll let the chief know," one of the officers replied, "Oh, and Miss Garcia, it would be wise for you to stay at the station. These two men are obviously targeting your team and you need to stay safe."

Garcia nodded and walked back to the office she was working in. After shutting the door, she went straight to the window. She knew the address of the mansion. She could easily sneak out and get there. She just couldn't sit at the police station not knowing what was happening to her family.

The team was shocked to find that the next room wasn't a room. It was a long corridor. Despite the length of the hallway, there were only five doors, each with one of their names written on it in what appeared to be blood. The team heard the crackle of the intercom overhead.

"This is where my game gets a little more interesting," the demonic voice began, "You all will enter the door that has your own name on it. You will wait in that room until the door swings open. Then you will enter the next room that contains your riddle. Only one of you will solve a riddle at a time. If you can solve the riddle, you will move into another hallway where you will wait for your team mates. If you fail to solve the riddle, you will have to watch Dr. Reid be tortured. Keep in mind that you only have one guess. Good luck."

Everyone hated the idea of splitting up, they had to work together to solve the riddles up to this point. Each of them was worried they wouldn't be able to solve the riddle and Reid would be tortured as a result, but they had to do what this man said so they could get themselves and Reid out of the mansion. Unwillingly, they each went their separate ways.

"Gideon!" Kevin yelled as he ran to find him.

He found Gideon dragging Reid to his next location.

"What is it Kevin?" he asked. He really didn't like the worried look on Kevin's face.

"Garcia knows that we're here and that we're behind everything that's going on."

Gideon dropped Reid in shock.

"How did she find out?"

"You both obviously underestimated her," Reid said with a smirk, "You must have completely forgotten that she is smarter than both of you combined."

Gideon kicked Reid in the side to shut him up. After Reid managed to sit himself up, Gideon knelt down and firmly clamped his hands over Reid's ears, so he wouldn't be able to hear a thing.

"What are we going to do?" Kevin asked frantically, "Erin was clear about not getting ourselves discovered."

"Erin is not going to be happy about this, but I'll talk to her and explain our situation. We at least have Reid, that's what she wanted most."

Kevin nodded and walked away. Gideon removed his hands from Reid's ears and continued to drag him to the room JJ would be solving the riddle in. He thought about JJ, remembering how guilty she felt when Reid was kidnapped by Tobias Hankel. He sort of hoped she would be able to solve the riddle because she wouldn't be able to handle watching what he had planned for Reid right before her eyes.

**Reviews are always appreciated.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you for the reviews! Here's the next chapter. I hope you like it! I do not own Criminal Minds.**

JJ groaned as she saw the door in her room swing open. She was really hoping that she wouldn't have to go first. Reluctantly, she entered the next room. Like the last room the team had been together in, there was a large pane of glass on one side of the room. She expected to find a light switch, but the light flickered on by itself. On the other side of the glass, Reid was lying on the floor, his hands bound in front.

"Reid!" JJ yelled as she ran to the glass.

Reid looked groggy, but his eyes lit up as he saw JJ. He managed to stand up and walked over to the glass. He noticed that JJ was staring at the electrical burns on his wrists.

"It's not as bad as it looks, JJ," he tried to assure her, but part of him knew that she wouldn't believe it.

"Reid, he's making us split up. We are each in a separate room, and he is making us each solve a riddle. If we can't solve the riddle, he will torture you right in front of us! I'm terrified that I won't be able to solve the riddle. I won't be able to live with myself if you get tortured because of my failure!" she sobbed.

"JJ, it's going to be okay. I won't blame you for whatever happens to me. Just calm down," he soothed her, "if you calm down, you'll be able to concentrate better on the riddle."

"Time to solve the riddle, Agent Jareau. Keep in mind that I am putting you on a time limit." The demonic voice over the intercom instructed. "Oh, and Dr. Reid, in case you were wondering, the same rules apply if you help Agent Jareau."

JJ remembered what Reid told her. She composed herself and grabbed the riddle that was taped to the wall. She read the riddle to herself.

_I was the unsub who was filled with much rage_

_My daughter had perished at such a young age_

_All that I did, I cannot recall_

_I wanted to shoot everyone, all_

_Inside my head, I was not all right_

_My perpetual anger I wanted to fight_

_But although everyone seemed so innocent_

_I knew that they had said what they meant_

_My looks were deceiving, they never would have guessed_

_That I would be the one to put them to rest._

JJ knew this case sounded very familiar. She remembered a victim that had survived her attempted murder say that he looked so normal, and she never would have thought of him to be a killer. She searched through the depths of her mind for the answer, but to no prevail. Several minutes had passed. She looked at Reid who was watching her intently. Guilt washed through her as she saw the hope in his eyes. Hope that she would be able to solve the riddle.

"Time's up, Agent Jareau," the demonic voice laughed over the intercom.

"No!" JJ gasped.

"The answer was Norman Hill, by the way. After the death of his youngest daughter, he killed his entire family and had no recollection of the event. Any time that someone angered him, he shot them with his shot gun," the voice continued, "Now Dr. Reid has to suffer the consequences of your failure."

JJ ran over to Reid with tears streaming down her face.

"Reid, I'm so sorry!" she apologized to him.

"It's not your fault, JJ," he told her, a firm edge in his voice, "Don't let the Riddler tell you otherwise."

The door in the room Reid was in slammed open. JJ didn't know it, but it was Gideon who walked in. He had a black jacket on with the hood up and a black mask covering his face. JJ's mouth opened in horror. The black jacket and mask made the Riddler seem so much more inhuman than she had originally thought him to be. The wicked looking whip he was carrying added to the effect that he was a monster. He grabbed Reid and dragged him away from the glass.

"Do whatever you want to me, just please don't make her watch," Reid begged.

"Rules are rules," he hissed.

He threw Reid to the ground on his stomach. Reid tried to get up, but Gideon stepped on his back to prevent him from doing so. He knelt down by Reid's head.

"Just relax, it will be less painful," Gideon whispered into his ear.

He stood up and whipped Reid's back. Reid tried not to cry out in pain. He knew that JJ had already suffered enough by watching him be tortured by Tobias. It was bad enough that she had to witness his torture again, but he knew if he cried out in pain, JJ would only feel more guilt. After ten lashes on his back, Gideon stopped for a moment. Reid thought that Gideon was done with him.

Reid cursed himself after he screamed in agony when Gideon whipped the back of his legs. He was at least able to mentally prepare himself to be whipped on his back, but he was not expecting this pain. After ten lashes on his legs, Gideon picked him up and carried him out of the room. The last thing Reid could hear before he was out of the room was JJ sobbing.

"I hope the others can solve riddles better than Agent Jareau," Gideon commented.

Reid glared at him. None of this was the team's fault. Convincing them otherwise was going to be a challenge, though.

Tears were falling uncontrollably down JJ's cheeks. Despite what Reid had told her, guilt was the only emotion she could feel at this moment. The door to the next room swung open. As much as she didn't want to move on, she had to leave the room she was currently in. She couldn't stand the sight of Reid's blood on the floor.

**I hope you liked this chapter! Read and review please! If you do, a fluffy unicorn will come to your door with your Hogwarts acceptance letter!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Here is the next chapter! Thank you to all of you that have reviewed/favorite/followed this story! I do not own Criminal Minds or the ever so sexy Dr. Spencer Reid.**

Although Rossi didn't show it, he was really anxious. Even though no one was in the room with him, he knew he needed to be strong. Any moment could be his moment to solve the riddle. If his mind wasn't in the right place when the time came, Reid would have to suffer the consequences. He was so lost in thought that he jumped when the door to the next room creaked open. He took a deep breath, trying to prepare himself for what was to come.

Upon entering the room, he noticed there was a large pane of glass on the opposite wall, like there was in the last room the team was together in. The light flickered on behind the glass, revealing Reid lying of the ground. Rossi took in his youngest teammate's appearance. He was breathing heavily, each breath seeming as if it caused him pain. Dry blood covered the young man's body. Rossi knew that the moment he got his hands on the Riddler, he'd be a dead man. The demonic voice crackled over the intercom.

"You'd better be able to solve this riddle, Agent Rossi. One of your teammates failed to solve the riddle, and I don't think Dr. Reid can handle what I have planned for him if you fail."

Reid gasped and turned his head to look at Rossi.

"Rossi, I know you will do your best to solve the riddle. Just promise me that you won't believe anything he says. You and the others are not at fault if I'm tortured. I'm stronger than they think. Whatever happens, I can handle it."

Rossi nodded, indicating that he had caught a hint Reid had given to him. He walked over to the wall and snatched the paper containing the next riddle.

_I am the unsub that always would fight_

_I would fight anyone, whatever the height_

_My favorite fights would lead to the death_

_Joining my daughter, taking their final breath_

_You could say I was unstable, I was insane_

_I enjoyed watching blood making quite a large stain_

_I would take their daughters, as taken was mine_

_Father and daughter in death, I was ever so kind_

Rossi only needed a few minutes to think of the answer. This had just been a recent case. John Vincent Bell had kidnapped a father and daughter every year on the anniversary of his daughter's death. He would make the father's fight, or he would kill the daughter right in front of him.

"The answer is John Vincent Bell!" Rossi yelled.

The door to the next room swung open. He could tell that Reid was relieved, even though he tried to hide it. He couldn't blame Reid for feeling relieved, though. He had no idea what torture the Riddler had put him through. He felt proud of the young agent. This entire time, the Riddler had been trying to convince him that the team was at fault for his pain, but he refused to believe him. Or should he say them.

"Stay strong, Reid. They can't break you."

He reluctantly entered the next room where he was greeted by the sounds of JJ sobbing. He groaned. JJ had been the one that couldn't solve the riddle. From what Hotch had told him about the Hankel case, she blamed herself for Reid getting kidnapped. She not only had to see him tortured on the live webcast, but she had to see him tortured again right before her eyes. He quickly sat down next to JJ, putting a comforting arm around her.

"It's okay, JJ. It's not your fault," he told her firmly.

"His blood!" JJ sobbed. "There was so much of his blood covering the floor! I can't imagine the pain he must be in right now!"

"JJ, we have to be strong. We have to keep it together if we want to get Reid back and the rest of us out of this mansion. Reid gave me a hint in the last room. He told me that no matter what happens, it wasn't our fault. He could take whatever pain was to come. He lastly said that he was stronger than they think."

JJ's eyes widened as she processed this information. She didn't need to be a profiler to know what that meant.

"There's more than one unub!" she gasped.

Garcia felt very proud of herself. She managed to sneak out of the police station, all the way to Perenelia mansion. Police surrounded the mansion. She wondered how she would be able to sneak into the mansion without being seen by the police. She listened as the police chief started barking orders at the other cops.

"The BAU team is still in the mansion, they obviously need our help! On my count, we move in!"

Garcia watched as the police moved toward the mansion. Her eyes widened as she noticed an eerie smoke rose from the grass. The police began screaming. Many covered their noses and mouths and retreated away from the mansion. Garcia moved back so she could avoid the smoke, but still see what was going on. After several minutes the smoke cleared. Garcia could see the bodies of a few dead police men that didn't get out of the smoke in time.

She waited several more minutes before deciding to advance toward the mansion. She sprinted across the front lawn. After glancing one last time at the clock tower that loomed over the mansion, she pushed the door open and walked in. The first room she came across contained the team's cell phones, vests, and guns. She grabbed a gun and made her way further into the mansion. She smiled to herself, thinking that Kevin better hope that she didn't find him.

**I hope you liked that chapter! Reviews are always appreciated! **


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey y'all! I'm so sorry I haven't updated in forever! Now that AP exams are out of the way and summer break begins soon, I will be updating a lot more often. Thank you for your reviews! They really mean a lot! Here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it! I do not own Criminal Minds.**

"Who is it?" Reid asked as Gideon strapped his wrists and ankles down on a table that he had been forced to lie on.

"What are you talking about?" Gideon asked.

"You said that I would have the chance to be part of something much bigger. I know you have a partner. Who is it?"

Gideon just smiled and shook his head at Reid.

"That's none of your concern right now."

He watched as Gideon positioned a pitcher of steaming water above him into place. He wondered who could possibly have to solve the next riddle. He just hoped that, whoever it was, he or she would be able to solve the riddle. Gideon didn't just put the pitcher of steaming water up for decoration. Reid was so lost in his thoughts that he jumped when Gideon began unbuttoning his shirt, revealing his electrical burns. Reid moaned to himself after Gideon left the room, knowing this was not going to end well for him.

Morgan wasn't surprised when the door to his room swung open. He knew it would just be a matter of time before he would have to step up and solve the riddle. He entered the room. The light behind the huge pane of glass was already on.

"No!" he bellowed as he saw Reid on the table.

He ran to the glass and desperately banged on the glass, trying to reach the person he thought of as his brother. He wanted to do nothing more than break through the glass and pick Reid up and get him to safety, away from the cruel, twisted unsub that has tortured him so terribly.

"Reid, I promise you, we will save you. We are all going to make it out of the mansion, and you will be out of his clutches soon!" Morgan promised.

Reid nodded and gave Morgan an encouraging smile. Morgan, reluctant to take his eyes off Reid in fear the unsub would come and take him away again, grabbed the paper containing the riddle and read it.

_I was the unsub who was ever so cruel_

_Do not be dysfunctional, my number one rule_

_My timing was perfect, my timing was right_

_My timing, the countdown, to their final night._

_I killed them all, when no one would miss_

_Them when they went into heavenly bliss_

_On their final night, I would bring them all down_

_One last meat for them to gather around_

_Their basement's my set, their basement my stage_

_To finally unleash my boiling rage._

Morgan tried to process what the riddle was telling him. He vaguely remembered a case a few years ago where a man killed families when they were supposed to be on vacation. It had been awhile, so he couldn't remember the name of the unsub. He tried to remember, but the name escaped him. He didn't realize how long he had been thinking until the demonic voice sounded over the intercom.

"You're out of time, Agent Morgan. The answer was the Fox. He stalked families he viewed as dysfunctional, waiting until they were supposed to leave for vacation. After breaking in to each home, he would keep each family member separated from each other until the final night when he allowed the family to have one last meal together. He would then take each family member down to the basement, starting with the youngest, ending with the father, and kill them all."

Morgan's face fell. He looked to Reid horrified eyes. He couldn't solve the riddle, now someone he considered his little brother was going to have to pay for it. He noticed Reid's eyes wandered to the ceiling in his room. There was a pitcher of steaming water suspended from the ceiling. Reid's eyes widened as the pitcher began to tilt. The boiling water began to fall on to Reid's exposed chest. Morgan had to cover his ears. He couldn't take hearing Reid's agonizing screams.

Reid's vision was blinded with the sudden pain. He heard a terrible scream in the distance, only to realize that it was him screaming. His chest was already burned, the boiling water only transformed the dull pain that had previously existed with the most excruciating pain he had ever experienced in his short life. He looked out the glass to see Morgan covering his ears. He didn't blame Morgan for doing so, knowing it was torture to him to see his friend in such pain.

"Morgan, I'm fine," Reid said after he caught his breath from screaming, "I know you and the others are going to get me out. None of you guys are at fault for this. The only person to blame is the Riddler, himself. Promise me you won't feel guilty."

Morgan was at a loss for words. His little brother was being tortured, but he was trying to convince him and the rest of the team not to feel guilty about it, even though it was a result of all their failures. He looked at Reid in a whole new light, seeing the true strength that he contained. He nodded, letting Reid know he would at least try not to feel guilty about it, even though, deep down, he would always blame himself for this.

The door to the next room swung open. Morgan reluctantly walked through it, not wanting to leave Reid alone with the Riddler. He saw Rossi and JJ sitting against the wall. He walked over to them. He saw that JJ had dried tear stains on her cheeks.

"You couldn't solve the riddle either?" he assumed.

JJ shook her head, a dead look in her eyes.

"Don't feel bad, JJ, I couldn't either," Morgan comforted her as he sunk to the ground, "Reid told me to promise him that we wouldn't feel guilty for what was happening to him. He has so much more strength than anyone gives him credit for."

"He really does," Rossi agreed, "He gave me a hint before I solved the riddle. He let me know that there is more than one unsub."

Fury flashed through Morgan's eyes.

"When I get my hands on them, they are going to wish they had never even laid eyes on our team!"

**I hope you enjoyed that chapter! Again I am sooooooo sorry for the long wait! Please read and review!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Thank you so much for your response to this story! You guys don't realize how much it means to me! Here's the next chapter, I hope you are thoroughly enjoy it! I do not own Criminal Minds.**

Gideon watched the screens intently. He chuckled at Morgan's reaction when he couldn't solve the riddle. He pressed the necessary button to make the pitcher of boiling water pour onto Reid. He flinched when he heard Reid scream, but he knew that he had to do it. For Stephen. For his further plan. He jumped when his cell phone rang. He sighed with relief when he saw the caller I.D.

"What do you want us to do?" he asked.

"Your face is all over the media. You and Kevin need to get out as soon as possible. Soon police will be on every corner in Texas and you both will not be able to escape."

"What about Dr. Reid?"

"Leave him with his team. It will be hard enough for you two to escape as it is. Dragging a kidnapped FBI agent along would ensure that you would get caught. We can always come back for him. Call me as soon as you get out. If you haven't called by then, I will assume you have been arrested and I will come get you."

"Understood," Gideon responded grimly.

He snapped the cell phone shut. He turned to Kevin.

"Get the final riddle ready," he ordered, "As soon as Agent Prentiss and Agent Hotchner solve their riddles, we need to make a break for it. I'm going to move Reid to Agent Prentiss's room."

Kevin nodded in understanding. He grabbed the paper containing the last riddle and quickly made his way to the room next to the room Morgan, Rossi, and JJ occupied. He could hear them talking, but was unable to make out any of the words. He taped the last riddle to the wall and snuck out of the room. He began walking back to the room with the screens, but he was stopped when he heard a gunshot and felt searing pain in his right shoulder.

He crumpled to the ground, clutching his shoulder. He was astonished as to who was standing above him.

"P-Penelope?" he stammered.

"Where are they?" she demanded.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

She stepped on his injured shoulder, causing him to cry out in pain.

"I know you have them here, and they better be unharmed," she snarled at her ex-boyfriend.

"They are," Kevin assured, then an evil grin spread across his face, "Except for Dr. Reid."

Garcia gasped. She put more pressure on the bullet wound. Although he tried not to show it, Garcia could see that she was causing him a great amount of pain.

"I don't ever recall you being anything besides an overly perky hacker. I never knew you had a dark side, Penelope."

"Those who harm my family are the only ones unfortunate enough to see it."

"What are you going to do? Call the police and have them arrest me?"

Now Garcia smiled.

"Oh, no, Kevin, I have a much better idea."

Prentiss jumped when the door to her room swung open. This reminded her of pretty much every horror movie she had ever seen. She was expecting her door to open, but not at the time that it did. She braced herself for whatever she was about to see. She took a deep breath and walked in the room. She wasn't surprised to see a familiar pain of glass.

Just as she expected it to, the light flickered on, revealing Reid. She took in his appearance. He was lying on the ground, breathing very heavily. He looked incredibly weak. She could see red blotches peeking out of the collar of his shirt.

"Oh, Reid, what has he done to you" she thought.

She walked over to the wall and snatched the riddle. She wanted to talk to her teammate terribly, but she wanted to be focused on the riddle so she wouldn't cause him anymore pain. She read the riddle.

_I was the unsub, if you can recall_

_My deceit of being ever so small_

_I proved that the fact of whatever the age_

_Has no effect on the control of the rage_

_Despite the fact I was only a child_

_My rage would turn me ever so wild_

_I was hidden, no one would guess_

_That I'd be the one to lay them to rest_

_To kill was my want, to kill my desire_

_Because of my want, their life would expire_

Prentiss was at a loss for an answer. The riddle portrayed a child being a serial killer. The only child killer she had ever come across was the one who murdered his little brother, and this riddle did not sound like him. It sounded like this child had murdered numerous people. This case didn't sound familiar at all to her. She continued to rack her brain for a possible answer when the demonic voice sounded over the intercom.

"The answer is Jeffrey Charles. He murdered three of his classmates by beating them to death. He was only twelve. I didn't expect you to solve this, Agent Prentiss, for you had not joined the team yet. Despite the fact you were not present at this case, rules are rules. Dr. Reid will still be tortured for your failure to solve the riddle."

Prentiss's usual composure broke. Pure rage surged through her. She couldn't believe the Riddler had set up this room just for an excuse to torture Reid.

"No!" she bellowed when she saw a man in all black and a black mask walk through the door on Reid's side of the glass with a knife in his hands. Reid turned to look at her.

"Don't let him get to you, Prentiss. He's just a coward. He knew you'd be able to solve the riddles for the cases you were present for. He just wants to make you all watch me suffer," Reid said quickly as the Riddler knelt at his side.

He raised the knife and plunged it into Reid's thigh. The last thing he heard before he blacked out from pain was Prentiss yelling his name.

**I hope you all liked that chapter! It was especially fun writing Garcia's twist on the events :) Please read and review!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Thank you all for the reviews! Here's the next chapter. I hope you all really enjoy it! I do not own Criminal Minds or the fabulous characters that exist within the show.**

Prentiss shook with rage as she left her room to join the rest of the team. This did not go unnoticed by Morgan and Rossi.

"What happened, Emily?" Rossi asked.

Prentiss took a deep breath.

"My riddle was from a case you all solved before Rossi and I joined the team. The Riddler gave me this riddle so he could torture Reid. Since I couldn't solve the riddle, he stabbed Reid in the leg."

The rest of them looked extremely angry. Reid had already suffered enough, and the Riddler kept making sure he suffered even more.

"Hotch is the only one left to solve a riddle. I really hope he can solve it. I would hate for Reid to endure any more pain," Morgan sighed.

Reid slowly opened his eyes as he regained consciousness. The first thing he noticed was the throbbing pan in his thigh. The second thing was that he was propped up against someone's chest. He turned the best he could to confirm his suspicion that Gideon was the one holding him up. Gideon noticed that he was awake and snaked an arm around Reid, pinning his arms to his sides.

"Good to see that you're finally awake. I was afraid you would miss the fun with Agent Hotchner's riddle."

"Why are you in the room with me this time?" Reid asked, still trying to completely wake up.

"You'll see."

Hotch had guessed by the amount of time he had been waiting that he was the last of the team to solve a riddle. It actually made sense, though, the team leader to go last. He was able to remain focused the entire time he had been waiting. He remembered what it was like to see the youngest member on his team get shocked, and he certainly did not want to see him in pain again. The door in his room finally swung open. He took a deep breath and walked into the next room.

He wasn't surprised to see a pane of glass on the opposite wall from the door. As he expected it would, the light flickered on. What he saw behind the glass enraged him. He saw a masked figure holding his horribly tortured agent. After what the Riddler had put Reid through, Hotch didn't want him anywhere near Reid.

"Get your hands off my agent!" Hotch ordered.

The demonic voice sounded over the intercom.

"Seeing that I have trapped you and your team and that I am in control of Dr. Reid's fate at this moment, I would suggest that you calm down before I hurt Dr. Reid for your behavior."

Hotch got his emotions under control and awaited further instructions.

"You will solve the riddle that his taped to the wall. For every minute that you can't solve the riddle, this will happen."

The Riddler grabbed one of Reid's fingers with his free hand and twisted it until it broke. Reid cried out in pain. Hotch tried to remain stoic, but a pained expression flashed quickly through his eyes. He hated the Riddler for what he was doing to Reid. He was struck with the urge to break through the glass and strangle the Riddler with his bare hands, but he knew that the Riddler would escape with Reid before he could even finish breaking through the glass. Besides, who knows what would happen to Reid as punishment for that action. Hotch pulled himself together before the voice spoke again.

"Your time starts now."

Hotch ran over to the wall and grabbed the piece of paper containing the riddle.

_I was the unsub who revenge was my want_

_I'd use my knowledge to, everyone, taunt_

_I was intelligent, but was outsmarted_

_I confessed of all the victims that I had discarded_

_Because of my brother, who is now dead_

_I made all of my victims live in pure dread_

_The BAU team, I wanted to kill_

_That was my want, desire, and will_

A few moments after Hotch read the riddle, he heard Reid yelp in pain. Time was ticking way too fast for his liking. He thought about the riddle. About a year ago, there was an unsub that wanted revenge against Rossi for taking his brother away from him. He had tried to kill the team because Rossi considered the team as his family. Reid had outsmarted him and figured out the trap. Hotch's thoughts were interrupted by another cry of pain. Hotch's head snapped up as he finally remembered the name of the unsub.

"The answer is Henry Grace!" he shouted, as if it would make Reid's misery end quicker.

The door to the next room swung open. Hotch was reluctant to leave Reid in the hands of the unsub, but he had to join the rest of the team so they could work together to get Reid out of the Riddler's clutches.

Reid looked down at his broken fingers. They were already turning black and blue. He groaned as Gideon began dragging him out of the room. He was confused when he was dragged up a winding staircase that seemed to go on forever. His eyes widened when they arrived at a platform connected to the clock tower.

"What are we doing here?" Reid asked, having absolutely no idea of what was going to happen.

"I'm afraid our time together has come to an end, Dr. Reid," Gideon sighed.

"What about your plans for me to be a part of something much bigger? Won't your partner be angry with you because you don't have me?" Reid asked, trying to make sense of everything.

"Oh don't worry. This won't be the last time I see you."

Reid could practically here the smirk behind the words. He looked to see why Gideon was still dragging him. He noticed a chair very close to the edge of the platform. Gideon set him down in it and tied his hands behind the chair. He took a length of rope and tied it from the chair to the clock itself.

To his horror, Reid noticed that in about twenty minutes, the little hand would reach the six on the clock, severing the rope that kept the chair from falling off the edge of the platform, killing whoever was unfortunate enough to be sitting in the chair. Gideon laughed as Reid's eyes widened.

"Reid, you're not actually going to die. I just want to give your team a heart attack."

"Wait...you and Kevin could escape right now…why don't you just leave?" Reid asked.

"Over the years, I have become a bit more theatrical. I'll want to see the team's reaction to your close encounter with death, or so they think it will be. I want to reveal myself, so I can relish in the shock from the others after they realize who the Riddler is. You don't have to worry about me escaping. I always have a way to escape and your team won't be able to catch me."

After he finished his speech, Gideon taped Reid's mouth shut.

"Don't want you spoiling the surprise now do we?" Gideon chuckled, "Just sit tight, Dr. Reid, your team will be here soon."

**I hope you liked that chapter! Please read and review!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Thank you so much for the great responses last chapter! Here's the next one and I hope you enjoy it just as much! I do not own Criminal Minds.**

Several eyes met Hotch's as he walked in the room. Morgan was the first to speak up.

"Were you able to solve the riddle, Hotch?" he asked.

"Yes, I did," Hotch responded.

"Then why do you look so sad? You at least didn't have to see him in pain."

"Actually, I did. Every minute that I spent solving the riddle, the Riddler broke on of Reid's fingers."

Morgan shook his head. He couldn't believe the Riddler would hurt his little brother like this. After Rossi explained to Hotch that there were two unsubs, the door to the next room swung open. The team walked into the room and noticed a piece of paper with Hotch's name written on it. He read the riddle outloud.

_Your performance hasn't been quite up to par_

_Yet you somehow managed to get this far_

_At this point only time can tell_

_Whether you can do too well_

_Dr. Reid's life is hanging by a thread_

_Soon to be cut, soon he'll be dead_

_You only have until the six_

_For my sleeve is now out of tricks_

_This final riddle is going to test_

_Is the BAU really the best?_

Hotch glanced down at his watch.

"We only have ten minutes to save Reid!" he nearly shouted.

"The riddle mentions time and six. It makes me think of a clock." Rossi thought aloud.

The team looked at each other with wide eyes. They realized they had solved the final riddle.

"He's at the clock tower!" they answered simultaneously.

"Problem is, how do we get there?" Morgan asked aloud.

On cue, all the doors in the mansion swung open.

"Everyone split up and search for the staircase that leads to the clock tower. Holler once you've found it." Hotch ordered as he took off out one of the doors.

The rest of the team obeyed. They desperately searched for the staircase that would lead them to their teammate. As Morgan sprinted up the staircase he discovered, he noticed the stars in the sky.

"Guys, I found it!" he yelled.

"We're coming!" Hotch yelled back.

Morgan raced up the rest of the staircase and onto the platform of the clock tower, the others not too far behind him. He and Hotch ran to hold back the hand on the clock while Rossi, Prentiss, and JJ ran to Reid and began to free him from the chair. Once Rossi untied the rope that connected Reid to the clock tower, Hotch and Morgan ran to Reid. JJ had taken the tape off Reid's mouth and Prentiss untied his hands. They began to help Reid up from the chair.

"Reid, who's behind this?" Hotch asked.

"It's—" Reid began to answer, but was interrupted.

"Surprise."

Gideon emerged from the shadows of the clock tower. Everyone's jaw dropped but Reid's.

"—Gideon," he finished.

"Jason," Hotch began, completely bewildered, "How could you do this to us? To Reid especially? We were your family!"

"This is your fault, Hotch!" Gideon began to rant, his voice raising. "Remember when I called you and told you Frank was back? You didn't believe me! He killed Stephen because you didn't listen to me! I don't think that was a very smart decision. I had to test you, to prove that you all are not as smart as you think you are. Everything I've done is your fault Aaron Hotchner!"

Hotch immediately felt guilty. The victims of the Riddler died because of him. His team was put inot this situation because of him. Reid went through all that pain because of him.

"Hotch, none of this is your fault," Reid spoke up, leaning against Rossi for support, "He and Kevin decided to do this all on their own. You didn't push them to do anything."

"Kevin?" Prentiss questioned, alarmed. "Kevin Lynch?"

Gideon nodded.

"He was Stephen's best friend. He jumped at the chance to get revenge on those that could have prevented his death. My revenge is not complete. We will be back."

He had been backing up to the staircase as he ranted. He looked at Reid and gave him a cruel smile.

"See you soon, Dr. Reid."

What Gideon didn't know was that Garcia had been sneaking up the staircase. As he turned to escape, Garcia crashed her gun onto his head, knocking him out cold.

"Garcia!" Reid sighed with relief. "You sure are a sight for sore eyes!"

Garcia smiled.

"I just can't believe Gideon tortured you like that, Reid," JJ commented, "He deserves so much worse than jail."

"Jail's too easy," Morgan began to rant, "He made us watch as he brutally tortured Reid. He made sure there was nothing we could do about it. He needs a more severe punishment."

"I agree," Hotch said, "It's not safe for society for them to be in jail. If he and Kevin were smart enough to pull this off, they would escape from jail in a heartbeat. He's not going to stop until he gets his revenge which, from his last words, sounds like he is going to just further hurt Reid."

"Gideon and Kevin had another partner," Reid explained, "He said that I would have the chance to be a part of something much bigger. I don't know what that means exactly. All I know is that Gideon said that they all would come back for me."

"We're not going to let that happen," Hotch said with pure determination, "But we have to figure out how to prevent it."

"Sir, if I may offer a suggestion," Garcia said.

Garcia whispered her idea into Hotch's ear, and Hotch nodded in approval.

When Gideon woke up, he found himself in a chair, his wrists tied behind his back and his ankles tied to the legs of the chair, just as he had done to Reid when he first kidnapped him. Kevin was right beside him in the same position. The two noticed that the chairs were set on top of wood and paper. They looked up to see the BAU standing before them, except Reid had his arms around Morgan and Hotch's shoulders so they could hold him up. Garcia was holding a lighter. It wasn't until they saw the lighter that they noticed the sick scent of gasoline.

"You know, burning alive is the most feared way to die," Reid said with a smirk on his face, "You don't die right away, so you have to feel your skin melt off of your bones while you smell your own burning flesh."

"Real funny," Kevin chuckled humorlessly, "When are the cops getting here?"

"Whatever could you mean?" Garcia asked innocently, "Once the BAU solved the riddles and rescued Reid, you all couldn't take the fact that the team outsmarted you."

"Your whole purpose in life was to outsmart us, but when you couldn't, you decided that you no longer had a purpose," Prentiss continued.

"You had no reason to live, so you burned your riddles, burning yourselves down with them," Rossi concluded.

Gideon and Kevin's eyes widened when they realized the team wasn't joking around.

"You can't do this!" Gideon yelled, "You guys will go to jail!"

"How?" Rossi asked, "The only witnesses, who tortured our friend, murdered many innocent people, and attempted to kill many police officers with poisonous gas, will be dead. All evidence will be burned down along with the rest of the mansion."

The look of fear never left their eyes.

"Let's go," Hotch ordered.

Morgan scooped Reid up into his arms, the stab wound and lashings on his legs making it hard to walk. The rest of the team turned and walked away. For a minute, Kevin and Gideon thought the team had changed their minds. Right before she left, Garcia turned around.

"Whoops," she muttered.

She ignited the lighter and 'dropped' in on the pile of wood and paper. The team left the mansion, agonizing screams echoing in their ears. They were just relieved that it wasn't Reid screaming.

**Sorry it took a little bit longer than I planned to write this. I just wanted to make it really good for you all! I hope you all are satisfied with Kevin and Gideon's fate! Reviews are always appreciated! **


	16. Chapter 16

**Here's the last chapter! Sorry this took a lot longer than I thought to update. I really thought I would be able to write more in the summer, apparently not and I am genuinely sorry for that. Anyways, I hope you enjoy it! I do not own Criminal Minds.**

The team was finally flying back home from Texas. After the team left the mansion, paramedics arrived on the scene. An ambulance immediately took Reid to the hospital while the others were just getting checked out at the mansion. Afterwards, they rushed to the hospital to get an update on Reid's condition.

Reid had several burns that needed to be treated, as well as lashings and a stab wound that needed stitches. He also had three broken fingers and several bruises from where he had been punched and kicked. Luckily, he only had to stay at the hospital for the rest of the night because no major bones had been broken and he didn't have any serious head injuries, meaning the team had been able to leave the next afternoon, after answering countless questions for police.

Everyone was so exhausted that they crashed as soon as they settled on the jet, except for Reid. He closed his eyes, but he couldn't get himself to fall asleep. Apparently, not everyone was asleep as he had thought.

"I know you're awake, Pretty Boy."

"You can't sleep either, Morgan?" Reid asked softly, not wanting to disturb the rest of the team.

"No, because I knew that you couldn't. I always know when something is bothering my little brother. What's on your mind?"

Morgan leaned forward and rested his elbows on his legs, an obvious sign that he was willing to listen to whatever Reid was going to tell him.

"I am sort of horrified with myself for the fact that I don't feel bad about us killing Gideon."

Morgan nodded, indicating that Reid could continue talking.

"He was not the Gideon that was a part of our family a couple years ago. This Gideon was willing to kill innocent people just to lure us to him. He was willing to torture me. He was willing to kill Vanessa Pearson right in front of me."

"He what?" Morgan gasped.

Reid just realized that he never told the team what happened to Vanessa Pearson. He had only told that story to the police.

"Before Gideon made torturing me in front of the team a consequence, he kept me tied up in the room with all of the monitors he used to keep updated on you all. He and Kevin were gone for a moment and I managed to get myself free. I escaped and ran through the mansion, trying to find you guys. I ran into Vanessa and we tried to navigate our way through the rooms and hallways. Gideon and Kevin found us. Gideon forced me to watch as Kevin slit her throat. He told me it was my fault for escaping."

Reid's voice broke at the end of his story. Morgan looked at him with sad eyes.

"You know it's not your fault, right?" Morgan asked, trying to make sure Reid didn't blame himself for Vanessa's death.

"I know," Reid sighed, "It's just that part of me hoped that Gideon didn't really kill those people. I hoped that he was the same Gideon that encouraged me to join the FBI. That moment was when I realized that Gideon had become exactly what he used to try to catch. He and Kevin could never leave that mansion alive. If they did, several more innocent people would have died."

"I can tell something else is bothering you, kid. What is it?"

Reid closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"When we were on the clock tower, I told you guys that Gideon and Kevin had another partner and that they all were supposed to come back after me. I overheard Gideon talking to him once. He sounds even worse than Gideon and Kevin. He wanted to just kill you all in the mansion, but Gideon said that it would torture you all more to live with the fact that I was still missing and you couldn't find me. Thanks to Garcia, their original plan to take me away while you all were still in the mansion was ruined. But the third partner is still out there. What if this partner does try to come back for me? What if you guys get hurt if he does?"

Reid looked away from Morgan, Tears threatening to fall from his eyes. He couldn't imagine anything happening to his team, especially if it was because some psychopath wanted him.

"Reid, nothing is going to happen to us, nor will anything stop us from protecting you. Without Gideon and Kevin, it's going to be harder for the third partner to get to you. However, until this is over, you're staying with me!" Morgan declared with a grin on his face, "We'll explain everything to Hotch when we land and I am sure he will approve of the arrangements."

Reid smiled, feeling a little better with his big brother looking out for him.

After the flight landed, the team returned to headquarters to fill out case reports. It wasn't so much to do it because the information was fresh in their minds, because this case would haunt them forever, they just wanted to get the paperwork over with. Morgan and Reid explained everything to Hotch, and according to Morgan's prediction, he approved of Reid staying with Morgan.

The paperwork was finally finished. Morgan was running the last of the papers to Hotch's office while Reid gathered his things into his messenger bag. He jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"I heard about what happened in Texas. I'm glad you're all right."

Reid turned to see Section Chief Erin Strauss standing behind him.

"Umm…thank you, ma'am," Reid said, unsure of any other way to respond.

He had always been unsettled by her presence. Everyone was. He tried to think of something else to say to break the awkward silence when Morgan walked back into the bull pen.

"Let's go, Reid!"

Reid grabbed his messenger bag and turned to leave.

"Be more careful, Dr. Reid," Strauss advised before Reid took off with Morgan.

"I'll try," Reid responded, like it was his fault that two psychopaths wanted to torture him.

Strauss watched as the two agents entered the elevators. She walked slowly back to her office, deep in thought.

"Be more careful, Dr. Reid," she thought to herself, "I don't want you harmed any more than you are, at least before you're mine."

**A big thank you to you all that have reviewed/favorite/followed this story! It has been a pleasure writing this story and I hope you all have enjoyed reading it! I also apologize for not really knowing anything about injuries, medicine, or hospital policy. I guess that's why it's fanfiction! **

**The sequel will be titled "Unsolvable." I hope you all will like it as much as "The Riddler." See you soon!**

**Love,**

**Starfire123**


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